It is fascinating to watch the resurrection of nature as the dead of winter is springing to life during this very time of the year. Already in my neighborhood I have witnessed seemingly dead and dreary looking sticks miraculously burst forth with brand new buds. These buds have over the last few days shed forth exquisitely beautiful flowers and leaves. All that splendor, all that brilliance, and vast array of vibrant life comes from something that was bleak, barren, and dead shall we even say ‘ugly.’ Now added to the drama of what we are witnessing there is also sound and smell. There has certainly come out of the cold dead silence a flurry of brash and majestic sounds. Birds of various kinds are singing so sweetly, butterflies are fluttering, bees are buzzing, frogs are croaking, fish are splashing, and crickets are ……well you get the point, whatever crickets do. The sun is beginning to shine brighter it seems, the days feel warmer, and who can escape the fragrant smell of it all. That which was dead is now ALIVE!
The wonder of it all is revealed as it points us to the heavenly Father’s plan. Surely all of God’s creation is trying desperately to point you and me back to a very special event. In fact, this event brought life from that which was pronounced lifeless, dead. This magnanimous event was none other than the resurrection of His Son Jesus who was slain on an old rugged cross and pronounced dead as He had indeed died, but also rose again to life on the third day. Glory hallelujah praise be to God! You see, we know that there were eyewitnesses that went to the grave on a certain Sunday morning and when they got there they were astonished to be greeted not by the tomb as usual, but by angels with a message. It was a message unlike any other ever told. It was a message of joy, hope, and new life. “Jesus is NOT HERE He is RISEN, come see where He did lay. Go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead!”
Now, we may not understand it all. That is “the how” He did it, but we certainly can understand “the why” Jesus died and rose and ascended back to heaven to His Father. Hebrews 9 begins to shed some light stating, “Jesus has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many.” Scripture also tells us in Ephesians 1 - 2, “You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). In Jesus we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
Finally, we have come to question of personal revival. Just as we can see from nature the transformation from death to life comes only from the power of God. As we have seen through the scriptures the resurrection of Jesus Himself from death to life also came through the power of God. Therefore, what you and I must realize is that if we have any hope in this world of being revived from death to life it can only come through our faith in the resurrection power of God. Have you ever placed your faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, understanding that His shed blood can cover your sins? The eternal significance is this. “Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
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